Remember the Heat
by AngelWing1138
Summary: The warmth was such a contrast to the usual freeze that he lived in. And he relished in it. [AxelRiku or Axikuish]
1. Remember the Heart

A/N: Alrighty. I wanted to try this pairing; it looked fun and it's an odd one. One that you can't see happening. It would just be fun. This happens after 'Dark Thoughts'; you can tell by the tiny clue somewhere in here. If you can find it, I'll take whatever suggestion you want for a story, or I'll give you a cookie, or both. A fair trade I do believe; make me work of get a virtual cookie or get two for the price of one!

And I just wanted challenges and commisions. _(smiles)_ Anyhow! I was listening to 'Lullabye for a Stormy Night' by Vienna Teng. Nice son; very pretty.

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts (II) Characters and Places belong to Square Enix.

* * *

He fascinated him.

He didn't understand this strange drawing sensation he gave him; the feeling that he had to walk to him and just touch him to make sure he was real. That he was truly there.

He felt his warm hand cup his cheek, and was shocked at the warmth; such a contrast to what he was used to. He opened his eyes, though he saw nothing; his eyes were still hidden by the blindfold. He placed his hand on top of the hand that rested on his cool skin, biting his bottom lip quietly. "You really are here…"

He heard a laugh, and the laugh was so much different than the laugh of the things he had lived with for so long. "Of course I'm here," the voice said in reply; such a warm voice. A voice he could get used to listening. "It's not like I'm some figment of your imagination or whatever. Hell, you can't even see me!" He heard cloth shift as he guessed the person moved their other arm.

Silver hair was pushed behind his ear for a moment, before the hand gripped the knot of the blindfold. He undid it gently, running his gloved fingers over his skin, and pulled the cloth off of his eyes, giving him sight. "Hey there."

The person was a young male, it seemed. His eyes were bright green, like his own, his hair a wild red. He had two diamond tattoos under his eyes, and they stretched as he grinned; an almost feral grin, but kind enough for him. "You got pretty eyes there; why were you hiding them?"

"My eyes cannot lie…" Riku murmured, looking to the side, away from the boy's gaze. The red head didn't seem to like that, though, and grabbed his chin gently, turning his head so that he looked up at him. "What…"

"I like to look a person in the eye whenever I talk to them." The boy explained, stepping back and grinning, crossing his arms. "So, what's your name?" Riku looked at him uncertainly, eyes flicking to his hand; he still had his blindfold.

"Isn't it polite to introduce ones self first, before they ask for another's name?" Riku retorted and the red head grinned at him.

"You got that right; was wonderin' if you'd pick that up." He then ran a hand through his wild spikes, looking at Riku all the while. "The name's Axel." He said, holding a hand out. "Got it memorized?"

Riku blinked, before taking his hand quietly, shaking it slowly. "Riku," he whispered in reply, and Axel nodded, letting go of his hand. "What are you doing here?"

"Uhh…I live here." Axel replied, shrugging lightly. "This is Castle Oblivion, right? That place where Organization XIII lives. I'm VIII."

"Then you're my enemy." Riku muttered, stepping back as he glared at him harshly. Axel raised an eyebrow carefully, and his persona almost seemed to change from light hearted to dangerously calm.

"I guess you could say that, Riku," he said, taking a step towards him. Riku stepped back again, watching the red head with careful eyes. "I could be your friend, though."

"Why would you want to be my friend, though? I'm trying to take one of your own; does that not bother you?"

"Oh hell yes it does; but the kid can take care of himself." Riku was suddenly pinned to a wall, and Axel placed his hands on either side of him; trapping him. "What about yourself? Can you defend yourself against me?"

Riku was suddenly hit with the heat of this man—this Nobody—in front of him as he was pinned to the wall. It was such a blessed heat; a heat he had almost forgotten. It was so different from the freeze he had lived in for these past months; years. The cold, cackling voices of the embodiments of darkness seemed to abandon him when he was near this heat. It felt…Oddly nice…

"Do I want to?" Riku replied strongly, watching as Axel blinked a little in confusion. A grin then suddenly appeared on his face, and his persona went back to light hearted. "Can you step away please?"

"But I like where I am," Axel said lightly, smiling at him lazily as he leaned one arm heavier on the wall that the other. "It's comfy."

"How so? You're standing." Riku said, glancing at the weaker supported arm, before ducking under it, stepping a few steps away from him. "Wouldn't you rather be sitting down?"

"Not really," Axel said flippantly, shrugging and flicking his hand to the side in a nonchalant manner. Axel then looked at Riku, raising an eyebrow. "You seem kind of scared."

"I am _not_ scared," Riku hissed through clenched teeth; though his eyes told differently. He was terrified; petrified, even. This man he had just met…Made him feel more at home than any of his friends. More than Kairi…Even more than Sora…

_I'm here for Sora._ He thought, steeling himself, his face turning emotionless. Axel watched the change of emotions rapidly across his face, before he sighed, scratching the back of his head a little. "You're a confusing kid, Riku. Do hearts do that to people?"

"Hearts can make people confused, yeah…" Riku muttered; he didn't see the harm in answering his simple question. It was just someone who was curious about something he didn't have. It was natural to answer, right?

"Then maybe I don't want a heart." Axel said thoughtfully, looking up at the roof. "They affect you too much." He then looked at Riku, smiling a little. "What do you think?"

"I don't care," Riku muttered, turning to look away from him. "I'm only here to find Sora's other half."

"Sora?" Axel asked, cocking his head to the side. "Sorry, don't know who he is. Guess that means you can't get his other half here." Axel then took a few steps to him so he was standing right in front of him. He cupped his cheek quietly, and Riku looked up at him with wide eyes.

"What are you…"

"Doing?" Axel smirked. "No idea whatsoever. But it feels right." He frowned as he took off his glove, placing the bare skin on Riku's cheek. "You're freezing, you know that?"

"Maybe you're just overheated." Riku muttered stubbornly. Axel smiled, shaking his head.

"No; I'm normal temperature for a human being, even though I'm not one." He sighed, trailing his fingers down his cheek quietly; there was a scar there from what seemed to be a cut. A blemish on his otherwise perfect face. "You're just freezing. Is it because you hang around cold places?"

"I've been in the darkness for a long time, since I was young." Riku said, acting as if he had gone to the darkness when he was twelve, and not 15 years old. "The darkness is a cold place; you wouldn't know because you are an empty shell."

"That hurt," Axel whispered softly. "Even though I don't have a heart, that still hurt." He then sighed, lifting Riku's chin quietly. "Just met ya and I'm intrigued. Should I be worried, or happy?"

"Whichever you want to be." Riku whispered, looking into his bright green eyes with glazed green orbs of his own. Axel smiled a little, and bent down, pecking his lips quickly. Riku's eyes widened and a healthy blush covered his cheeks.

"You're cute," Axel stated, stepping away and holding out his blindfold. "I'll give you that; you've got an hour to get the hell out of Castle Oblivion before the others start looking for you." Axel looked to the side. "I think you'll be able to find Roxas on your own soon…Something's up with the blonde."

"Roxas?" Riku repeated. "How did you know I was looking for Roxas?"

"I know a lot more than you might think I do." Axel said, smiling. "Now go." Riku looked at him for a moment, before he took his blindfold carefully. Axel grabbed his hand, pulling him towards him again. He rested his forehead on Riku's, taking the blindfold and covering his eyes, tying it in the back like it had been before. "We'll meet again, Riku; I can feel it." He whispered, before the silver haired boy felt the faint brushing of soft lips, and then suddenly being transported into a tunnel of darkness, falling out on the dark streets of the World that Never Was. Riku stood on his hands and knees, looking over in what he thought the direction of Castle Oblivion was, before he sighed.

"Axel, eh?" He mumbled, standing up slowly and brushing off his black coat, holding a hand up as he created his own tunnel of darkness. "I'll memorize that."


	2. Freezing Rain

A/N: Just a little shit I decided to put after 'Remember the Heat'. Like a sequel of sorts! 'Freezing Rain'. Eheh. I'm SOOO clever. Really. Enjoy!! Not as much Axel/Riku as before because this is when Riku decides he needs to swallow in the darkness, and Roxas is gone and Axel is deciding slowly he wants to find Roxas. But he's first concerned with Riku, who's acting strange. Eheh. Yeah. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts (II) Characters and Places belong to Square Enix.

* * *

He could not get over the fact that he was actually gone.

He slammed his fist onto the wall, eyes shut tight as he gritted his teeth together angrily. How could he just up and leave like that? Betraying the Organization so easily! Sure, he had betrayed the Organization, but then he came back to it! They gave him full pardon.

He turned, pressing his back against the dark brick, sliding down to the sidewalk as the rain poured down, making his hair fall down limply behind him; strands falling into his eyes. He looked up at the crying sky, wondering if it was sharing his grief with him, when he heard footsteps. He turned his head to see a silver haired boy standing there, looking at the sky as he walked; blindfold covering his eyes causing him to loose sight. How could he walk so smoothly…?

Wait. He recognized that silver hair anywhere! He stood up, slipping on the slippery ground for a moment before he ran to the boy, stopping in front of him. The boy stopped accordingly, frowning a little as he stood there. Who was in front of him? Everything was a daze…He couldn't think straight. How could he _loose_? The blonde was just his best friend's other half! It made no sense!

"Riku!" Axel said, placing his hands on his shoulders, smiling widely; something he thought he wasn't going to do that night. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be going after Roxas?" He asked this last part sarcastically; almost spitting it out. Riku winced, and Axel blinked, grip on the boy's shoulders loosening.

"I already found him," he muttered, turning his head to the right as if he were avoiding eye contact.

"…And?"

"He defeated me." Riku yanked out of Axel's grasp, scowling as he turned away. "Axel…Just leave me alone."

"I can't do that," the red head said then, grabbing his wrist. "Roxas left me, and he beat you; we're both feeling a pain in our chests."

"How can _you_ feel pain when you're _NOTHING_?" Riku hissed, and Axel guessed his eyes had narrowed angrily. The red head blanched, looking away, and letting go of his wrist. Riku let his arm fall limply to his side, looking at the ground; slightly turned away from the pyromaniac.

"…You have to stop saying hurtful things." Axel whispered softly. "I may not have a heart…But I'm not nothing. I'm just Nobody." He smiled a little, bitterly though. "I still feel things…Like all other Nobodies…Even people you say are nobodies feel." Riku's scowl faltered, and his turned his head in Axel's direction; the blindfold hiding those green eyes Axel had grown fond of when he first gazed into them.

_My eyes cannot lie…_

"Your pride is hurt…And you're confused because Sora's other half defeated you." Axel mumbled then, and Riku stepped back in surprise, facing him more than before.

"You said you didn't know Sora."

"I lied," Axel said, grinning. "I met him when he was in the castle that Marluxia was in charge of." He then smiled a little sadly. "Sora's gotten stronger, Riku; he isn't the same weakling from before. And his heart is one of the strongest hearts I've ever seen; that's why Roxas is so much more powerful than you. The one he came from was strong…Both in will and heart."

"…So does that mean I'm weak?"

"No…Just easily guided." Axel said truthfully, watching as the silver haired boy winced. He then sighed, reaching out and grasping his hand quietly. "But that's fine, too; it's just you."

"I need to be strong for Sora's sake," Riku muttered, pulling his hand out of Axel's grasp. "And so I can't be guided by anyone…It's time I accept what I really am." He then turned, walking away, leaving Axel alone. Axel watched him quietly, the rain pouring down relentlessly.

"…What are you, though?"


End file.
